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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23910613">that thing you do</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudofreveries/pseuds/cloudofreveries'>cloudofreveries</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Disney - All Media Types, Mulan (1998)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Prompt Fic, another one shot!!, i wrote this for over a span of a week lmao i tried idk, let's say they're both police detectives or fbi agents? hmmm, this is long, this is somewhat a modern au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:22:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,281</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23910613</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudofreveries/pseuds/cloudofreveries</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>modern au.  mulan had just gotten well from being sick and shang's there to not leave her side. just some teeny bit of domesticity and fluff with two visitors dropping by to visit them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fa Mulan/Li Shang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>that thing you do</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i decided to give in and write another fic about them, not what i'd usually have in mind in terms of the flow but i gave this a try.</p><p>DISCLAIMER: i do NOT own these characters or disney, if i did the company would go back to making 2d animated movies.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After Shang had arrived back in New York, smiled, sat on the edge of her bed, took her hand and affirmed to both themselves that Mulan was finally getting much better after becoming sick from work, she just couldn’t get rid of her partner. For the first day or two, he’d be slinking around her room, sleeping beside her in a chair, hardly leaving her side.</p><p>He sneaked in meals, pizza slices and take outs from the local Asian restaurant that made her mouth water and that the nurses would scold him for. By the second day, Shang was holding her hand, watching tv as she dozed lightly on the bed beside her. He heard her room door opening and it revealed her mother and Grandma Fa.</p><p>“Mulan” Shang murmured in her ear. He bent over and pushed back a stray lock of raven hair. Her grip instinctively tightened on Shang’s hand as she woke. “Your mom and grandma are here.”</p><p>She pulled back and groggy dark eyes searched his face first for some sort of clue before focusing on her family. Shang moved to yield the chair to her mother but found his hand chained to hers. She glanced at him quickly, affirming him to just stay.</p><p>“Mama! I'm alright now. Much better than the past few days,I’m fine.” She let go of Shang’s hand to reach out and give her a hug “Grandma Fa!” Mulan exclaimed delightedly, her grandmother offering another tight embrace.</p><p>“Your father and I were worried,” Fa Li began to speak. “I just flew on a moment’s notice with him from when Shang called, telling me of the news!”</p><p>“It’s alright, there’s nothing to worry about now.” she grumbled. Her eyes narrowed at Shang. “This is your fault.” She tried to hide a grin.</p><p>“Blame me,” he whispered affectionately. He bent over and kissed her forehead, and he had an odd moment of deja vu. “I need to shower. My clothes are about to stand up on their own and I’ll be back.”</p><p>“Bring real food?”</p><p>“Of course,” he promised. He caught Fa Li’s gaze and discreetly nodded towards the door.</p><p>“I’ll be right back, Mulan.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>Grandma Fa carefully brushed past Shang without a word and took the seat next to him. Mulan looked a bit uncomfortable but he could tell she was already drifting back to sleep due to the drugs in her system. A little afterwards, Fa Li and Shang exited out into the hallway. “You look like you haven’t slept in days, young man”</p><p>“I got here right as she was coming out of surgery,” he yawned, suddenly tired. “I haven’t left her side since.” Fa Li gazed at him approvingly. “Anyways, she is going to be fine, stubbornness notwithstanding. The doctors said she just had an angel or something watching out for her because her recovery has been remarkably faster than anticipated.”</p><p>“Why is she drugged?”</p><p>“Painkillers,” he supplied, with another yawn. “She sleeps a lot, in and out. You just came in the middle of her fourth nap today.”</p><p>“Oh Mulan, she could sleep practically anywhere,” Fa Li smiled.</p><p>“No matter how loud,” Shang added.</p><p>“Shang, why don’t you freshen up and try and get some sleep?”</p><p>“I promised I wouldn’t leave…”</p><p>“I’m sure Mulan would understand. She would want you to be well rested too.” She patted his shoulder . </p><p>“Yes, ma'am.” He paused. “I’ll…if she wakes up.”</p><p>“I’ll call. Thank you, Shang.”</p><p>Shang watched Fa Li disappear back into the hospital room and he rubbed his face blearily. “Oh you have no idea what you do to me, Mulan,” he mumbled lovingly, pressing a kiss on her forehead.</p>
<hr/><p>He never left her side since then and when it came for the time of her release from the hospital a week later, Shang was carrying her bags all through after a long painful flight back from New York and her difficulty walking did not go unnoticed.</p><p>“Do you want me to get a wheelchair,Mulan?”</p><p>Her breath came in short hitches as she shook her head vehemently. “I’m fine, Shang.”He slowed their pace as she eyed another airport lounge and sat gingerly in the chair, mindful of her still fresh bullet wound in her abdomen. “I’m just…” She took a deep breath. “Being courteous to you.”</p><p>“Of course,” he admitted. He sat down next to her and joined her in the lounge chair. “So, how long do you want to take a break for?”</p><p>Mulan cast an annoyed glance at her partner and wisely kept silent. Shang continued disregarding the pause. “What I think is that I have not been paying enough attention to you and what not. But now’s the perfect time to start making amends. I’m going to grab you a wheelchair–not because of the gunshot wound or anything. I just thought it would be nice not to walk through the hell of DC.”</p><p>She opened her mouth to reply but transformed it into a small smile when she saw the wheelchair being pushed by a flight attendant.</p><p>“Thank you,” Shang smiled, “we got it from here.”</p><p>“You don’t have to make amends, Shang,” she whispered, getting up and sitting stiffly into the chair. He handed Scully her carry on and slung their overnight bags over him. “Or be my pack horse.”</p><p>“Maybe I want to.”</p><p>“You haven’t really left my side since you arrived in New York. And I know that’s a big step up, Shang.”</p><p>“Well,” he shrugged as he began to push the wheelchair, “maybe I learned something.”</p><p>“You’ve never been a sorry son of a bitch,aren’t you?” she mumbled and teased, reaching behind her. Mulan’s small hand squeezed his forearm and he smiled.”Besides, I was glad you were always there. And here now.”</p><p>“Wanna race?” he asked, leaning over to whisper in her ear.</p><p>“I don’t think–”</p><p>Mulan always knew he could be a fast runner just . She had seen his long legs sprint at speeds that would have taken her breath away when chasing a suspect down but the moment he started springing with her in the wheelchair. The laughter that bubbled up from her chest erupted into the pain that transformed into a hideous cough that hurt every time her abdomen contracted. Shang stopped immediately and she waved her hand dismissively. “I’m fine, Shang.” she managed.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>She shook her hand and caught his hand tightly. “Don’t…be.” She gave a painful smile. “Just ease up on the antics until I’m better, okay?”</p><p>He gave a weary smile and nodded. “You okay?”</p><p>She nodded. “As well as can be expected. I know…” She swallowed. “You know I don’t like to admit weakness at times but being here, Shang…thank you.”</p><p>“That’s a lot coming from you, Mulan.”</p><p>He got up and began to push her again. “Shut up,Shang.”</p><p>He smiled and replied, “So since your lovely vacation in New York, I have been taking care of things. You’re on medical leave until next month or until you feel better. I’ve kept your mother at bay until you felt ready.”</p><p>“That doesn’t sound like her,” she reflected thoughtfully.</p><p>“Probably nothing.”</p><p>“Unless she’s been hiding something from me…”</p><p>“Mulan, stop thinking.”</p><p>“What about you talking about?”</p><p>“You think too much.”</p><p>“What are you gonna do with me out of commission,” she smirked, rolling her head back. He should have kissed her right there. “Chi-Fu might fire you.”</p><p>“Universal mysteries,” he supplied vaguely. “Do you want anything before I pull around the car?”</p><p>“No,” she yawned. “I just want to go home.”</p><p>****</p><p>Halfway on the 66, Mulan slept with the passenger side chair lounged back, her hand held his hand tightly never letting go. He smiled.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Shang, why does my apartment look different?”</p><p>Mulan stood more leaned against Shang in the doorway as he flicked on the light to her living room. She noticed some of his things mingling with hers like his weekend bag and a grocery bag of sunflower seeds on her kitchen table. She elbowed him expectantly. Shang gasped for breath and replied. “I don’t know what you mean. Go sit down, I’ll bring you a glass of water and take care of these bags.”</p><p>“I could do it,” she sighed, bending painfully.</p><p>“Mulan maybe i need to remind you I am at least a foot taller and probably have seventy pounds over you right now? And if I blew, you would fall over. Mulan, for once, I’ll even pinkie-swear, let me take care of you.”</p><p>“It’s not an option, is it?”</p><p>“I knew you were the smarter one.” He chuckled</p><p>Mulan gave him the evil eye and shuffled towards her couch where she very gingerly sprawled out. She kicked off her shoes, pulled the afghan over her clumsily. She closed her eyes, only for a few minutes she promised herself, as she listened to Shang turn CNN on and rummage through the kitchen. Her partner was here. Shang was here. Without a second thought, either exhaustion or the pain meds she was likely still high off of, she slipped into a brief slumber while he watched from the kitchen, smiling as he started the coffee instead of getting her a glass of water.</p><p>When she awoke again, Mulan found herself in her bedroom still wearing the clothing that she had come home in. Gingerly, she pushed herself up in bed, wincing in pain as she brought a hand uselessly to her still healing wound. She needed to change the bandage and while she could do it herself, she was not going to even attempt.</p><p>“Shang,” she called. Her voice sounded gravelly from being unused. “Shang!”</p><p>He appeared moments later barefooted and wearing jeans and a white t-shirt splattered with spaghetti sauce all over it. She arched an eyebrow questioningly. “Don’t ask. I was trying to cook and well, it looks like I killed someone.” He motioned to his shirt. “But I found this recipe and conjured up something resembling chicken noodle soup when you’re ready. I promise it's edible.”</p><p>“I can take care of myself you know.”</p><p>Shang saw her smile and relaxed noticing she was joking with him. “Very funny,” he mumbled. “You still called me in for something.”</p><p>“To change my bandage. Did you carry me in here?”</p><p>He nodded and guided her back to the bed. “Did I hurt you?”</p><p>“No,” she dismissed. “Why are you still here?”</p><p>He stopped what he was doing. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“I mean,” she hissed, sitting on the bed. She pointed to her bathroom where her medical kit was. “You don’t have to be here. I’m not making you.”</p><p>He retrieved her bag and took out gauze, surgical tape, and scissors. Kneeling down before her, Shang’s warm hands gently rolled up her shirt. She hitched her breath as the pads of his fingers traced around the bandaged area where red still radiated outwards. She hissed again and he mumbled ‘sorry’ under his breath. He gently pulled away the bandage and Mulan watched him grit his teeth angrily. She calmed him instantly by grabbing his wrists.</p><p>“You are here now,” is all she said softly. He nodded tightly and under her careful directions cleaned and applied a fresh bandage to her wound. He leaned forward without thinking to place a quick, light kiss. She smiled. “What was that for?”</p><p>“Um…” He grinned and blushed. “Sorry.”</p><p>“Why? I’m not.” He met her eyes with an unspoken question unfolding before them. “Why are you still here,Shang?”</p><p>He gave a weak smile. “You have no idea what you do to me, Mulan. I, uh, with what happened…with everything that happened and I wasn’t there and I should’ve been. It just made me realize, after everything,Mulan, how much you…well, how I should act.”</p><p>She gave a tight smile despite the throbbing pain in her abdomen. “How should you act?”</p><p>“You aren’t making this easy, are you?”</p><p>“Never.”</p><p>He got up from his kneeling position and framed her face within his hands. He kissed her softly once. Again. And again. He smiled and rested his forehead against hers. “After all the times you’ve cheated death, I think it’s time to step up my game. Well, I’m going to try. If you would allow me to play nurse for you? I make an excellent manservant. I’ve already made us dinner”</p><p>“You do know that I may not be able to…” She motioned at her wound. “I wouldn’t have much fun.”</p><p>“Hasn’t stopped me before. Besides, we’ve already waited six years. What’s a little longer?” He smiled as she leaned forward this time and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “And I didn’t tell you. I’m on leave until you get better since your mother is unable to take care of you.”</p><p>She chuckled, wincing as she did. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “How did you manage that?”</p><p>“Secrets. Can’t rush the romance I suppose,Mulan. Now, you ready to change into something more comfortable and join me for dinner? There’s a Star Wars movie marathon too on HBO.”</p><p>“You’re such a dork,” she smirked. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I may need some help with that.”</p><p>Shang’s eyes lit up darkly and he kissed her again. “You know, I don’t think I could get tired of that. And your wish is my command.”</p><p>Mulan just pulled him close and took a moment to thank whatever had saved her and delivered her into this new reality. “I don’t think I’ll grow tired of it either. Or forget it either, Shang,” she whispered, “I won’t ever forget this.”</p>
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